Saturday, October 14, 2006

Reading and Writing

If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it. ~ Toni Morrison

I can't seem to concentrate on reading lately. I have zero patience for a book that doesn't absolutely thrill me from the first sentence. I tried reading yet another Harlequin Intimate Moments -- a paranormal -- that had a great premise and was actually interesting...

Except.

Except again the hero and heroine were having hot, sexual fantasies for each other in totally inappropriate places. Given the success of this Harlequin line, I must be in the minority about this. Regardless, it was tossed in my "can't get rid of this fast enough" bag along with its sequel. Ugh.

I've fallen back on reading old favorites. Out come my Jenny Crusie novels or a few of Nora's. I've started reading the "In Death" series from the beginning again, because it's been a few years since I've done that.

Why, oh why, can't a find a new book that can hold my attention?

*sigh*

Yesterday, my mom saw Danielle Steele on Good Morning America and called me about it.

"She wrote 96 books in 38 years AND raised nine kids!"

"I know, Mom. And Nora Roberts has had more than 130 books published in the last 25 years."

Clearly, I'm a slacker... LOL... I've only produced six complete novels in my lifetime, three in the last five years. I'm falling behind.

Still, it is quite amazing to see the output of these ladies. I'm not a Danielle Steele fan, but she has legions of them, so her output must be pretty good quality as well. To write so much, so well, so quickly is amazing to me.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

A book I read recently that I loved was Jana DeLeon's Rumble in the Bayou. It's a romance. It's a mystery. But for some obscure reason it's shelved in the bookstore in just the "Fiction" section. It was a fun read. First book I've read in a long time that actually made me laugh out loud. :)

anno said...

I'm with you on the difficulty of finding good books to read. Sometimes I think it's not just my jaded tastes, but that, as a writer, I stumble over things that other readers might forgive. I guess that means I am both old and irritable.

Anyway. Have you read any of Jennifer Weiner's books? I always end up sobbing in the middle of them, but I've enjoyed them. Also Emily Giffin's book -- Something Borrowed and Something Blue were fun to read. Good luck, and if you come across something else, please let us know!

Charity Tahmaseb said...

Note to self: be sure to have Kit glance at Mark when they're both in chemical suits and gas masks and think how hot he is. Hot as in sexy, not just plain sweaty hot, which they both would be. And stinky. And scared.

I. Feel. Your. Pain.

Nearly as bad is when the character thinks: Oh, I shouldn't be thinking this now, but does anyway.

Marianne Arkins said...

Tori and Anno... thanks for the book recommendations (I've read Jennifer Weiner's -- she's good, but does put you through an emotional wringer). I'll go look for them!

Charity, I almost ended up with coffee on the keyboard via my nose when I read your comment. The book I was referring to had a SEQUEL so I can't help but think I'm one of the few who hates that whole: Woman is covered in mud and bee stings while running from evil paranormal beasties, but boy is she hawt!

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